Paiche vs Smallmouth Bass

Arapaima gigas comparado con Micropterus dolomieu

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Paiche	Smallmouth Bass
Nombre Científico	Arapaima gigas	Micropterus dolomieu
Orden	Osteoglossiformes	Centrarchiformes
Familia	Arapaimidae	Centrarchidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Smallmouth Bass
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	69,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	5,4 kg
Color	Dark olive-gray to grayish-black back with large scales that become vivid red-orange with black borders on the posterior flanks; belly pale cream; caudal fin reddish and rounded.	Bronze-green to golden-brown body with 13–15 irregular dark brown vertical bars or blotches on the flanks; red-orange eyes; belly pale cream; dark brown radiating lines from eye to snout.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Smallmouth Bass
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Freshwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	1-7m
Distribución Geográfica	Restricted to the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Peru, Guyana, and Bolivia. Inhabits flooded várzea lakes, oxbows, and large river channels; surfaces frequently to breathe …	Native to the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes drainage south through the Ohio River system and upper Mississippi basin. Prefers clear, cool, rocky streams …
Hábitat	Floodplain lakes (várzea) and large river channels of the Amazon basin. Slow-moving, shallow, warm freshwater (26-30°C). An obligate air-breather; rises to surface to gulp air. …	Clear, cool rivers and streams of eastern North America from the Great Lakes to Tennessee. Prefers rocky and gravelly substrate in moderate to fast current. …

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Smallmouth Bass
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	Sí
Clasificación de Pelea	10/10	8/10
Récord Mundial	—	—
Nivel de Mercurio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Paiche

Large, firm white fillets with a mild, clean flavor and low fat; historically a staple protein in Amazonian communities. Often salted and dried; sustainable harvest is tightly regulated.

Smallmouth Bass

Clean, white, mildly flavored flesh with low fat; considered slightly firmer and more flavorful than largemouth bass. Excellent pan-fried or baked; a respected table fish in the Great Lakes region.

Species Overview

Paiche

The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, reaching up to 4.5 meters. An obligate air-breather, it must surface every 10-20 minutes to gulp air. Its tongue is bony and used to crush prey against the roof of its mouth.

Smallmouth Bass

The smallmouth bass is widely considered the best-fighting freshwater fish pound-for-pound. Found in clear, rocky streams and lakes, it is more athletic and acrobatic than its larger cousin, the largemouth bass.